LAMINITIS, OR FOUNDER. 423 



tilages may commence as early as the first week of the laminitis ; and 

 although the trouble in the laminae is removed in the course of a fort- 

 night the symptoms do not entirely subside, the animal retains the 

 shuffling gait, the sidebones continue to grow, and the patient usually 

 remains quite lame. This alteration of the cartilages generally pre- 

 vents the i^atient recovering his natural gait, and the practitioner 

 receives unjust censure for a condition of affairs he could neither 

 foresee nor prevent. 



The laminitic process occasionally extends to the covering of the 

 coronet bone, or at least concurrent with and subsequent to laminitis 

 the development of " low ringbone " is seen, and it is apparently 

 dependent upon the disease of the lamina? for its exciting cause. The 

 impairment of function and consequent symptoms are much less 

 marked here than in sidebones. The coronet remains hot and sensi- 

 tive and somewhat thickened after the laminitis subsides, and a little 

 lameness is present. This lameness persists and the deposits of new 

 bone may readily be detected. 



Suppuration of the sensitive membrane is a somewhat common 

 complication, and even when present in its most limited form is 

 always a serious matter ; but when it becomes extensive, and especially 

 where the suppurative process extends to the periosteum, the results 

 are apt to be fatal. When suppuration occurs the exudation does not 

 appear to be excessive. It is rich in leucocytes and seems to have 

 caused detachment of the sensitive tissues from the horn prior to the 

 formation of pus in some instances; in others the tissues are still 

 attached to the horn and the suppuration takes place in the deeper 

 tissues. 



Limited suppuration may take place in any part of the sensitive 

 tissues of the foot during laminitis, and may ultimately be reabsorbed 

 instead of being discharged upon the surface, but generally the process 

 l)egins in the neighborhood of the toe and spreads backward and 

 upward toward the coronet, finally separating the horn from the 

 coronary band at the quarters. At the same time it spreads over the 

 sole and eventually the entire hoof is loosened and sloughs away, 

 leaving the tissues beneath entirely unprotected. In other instances, 

 and these are generally the cases not considered unusually severe, the 

 suppuration begins at the coronary band; it extends but a short dis- 

 tance into the tissues, yet destroys the patient by separating the hoof 

 from the coronary band, upon which it depends for support and 

 growth. This form of the suppurative process usually begins in 

 front ; for it is this part of the coronary band that is always most 

 actively affected with inflammation, and conse(iuently it is here that 

 impairments first occur. 



Suppuration of the sensitive sole is more common than of the sensi- 

 tive lamina? and coronary band. It is present in the majority of cases 



